2012 Milwaukee Summerfest, Schedule, Ticket Info, Maps & Directions

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2012 Summerfest Fast Facts

When : June 27 - July 1 (closed Monday, July 2) and July 3 - 8 , 2012 from noon until midnight daily.

Where : Henry W. Meier Summerfest Grounds, Milwaukee, WI

Directions by car: From the west, take I-94 east and exit at 26th Street. Follow St. Paul Avenue east to Water Street and follow the signs to area parking lots.

From the north, take I-43 south and exit at McKinley Boulevard. Proceed south on 6th Street to Michigan Street. Take Michigan Street east to Water Street and follow the signs to area parking lots.

From the south, follow I-94 north and exit at Lapham/Greenfield. Go east to 1st Street and head north to follow the signs to Summerfest.

Public transportation: Park your car downtown and catch one of the frequent shuttle buses that leave every half-hour during the day to the North Gate. After 5PM, buses begin leaving every 15 minutes.

More info: http://www.ridemcts.com/

Henry Maier, the mayor of Milwaukee during the 1960's, was so inspired by his visit to the German beer festival Oktoberfest that he came back to Milwaukee determined to create a similar cultural event for his city.

Thus, the Milwaukee Summerfest was born.

Summerfest, which is typically 11 days long, usually begins in June and ends sometime in early July.

This year, Summerfest celebrates its 45th annniversary at the Henry W. Meier Summerfest Grounds on the Milwaukee waterfront, with opening day scheduled for Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The festivities shut down on Monday, July 2, but reopen on July 3 and continue to July 8, 2012.

Already announced to great fanfair is an appearance by singer Neil Diamond who will headline the Marcus Amphitheater on Sunday, July 8 at 7:30PM.

Tickets for the special performance go on sale December 10 at 10AM and include Summerfest admission. Tickets can be purchased at the Marcus Amphitheater Box Office, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, Walmart stores, and online at Ticketmaster.com.

Meanwhile, watch for the complete Milwaukee Summerfest concert lineup — featuring top headliners from rock, pop and country music — to be officially announced in Spring 2012

It's "come one, come all" with almost all musical acts accessed by buying a single admission ticket. Last year, tickets prices included $8 tickets for weekday admission noon to 4pm; $15 anytime general admission; $33 for a three-day pass; and $3 for kids 10 and under and seniors 60 and up.

The world's biggest music fest

Among other things, Summerfest is first and foremost a music festival - one of the biggest in the world, in fact - a title officially bestowed upon Summerfest in 1999 by none other than the Guinness Book of World Records.

Today, 11 different stages give almost 1 million annual festival goers ample opportunity to sample a wide variety of musical talent ranging from small, local acts on up to world renowned entertainers.

summerfest lineup
Neil Diamond headlines
Summerfest 2012.

Laughs are another big component of Summerfest - a.k.a. The Big Gig - with standup comedians flocking to the venue to entertain their fans.

Entertainers aren't the only thing that attracts people to Summerfest though. The local food and restaurant scene is typically well represented, and attendees can browse shopping booths and participate in a host of family-friendly activities.

Have fun!

More about Milwaukee Summerfest around the Web:

Summerfest - The official site with complete information about the concert lineup and online ticket purchase, maps & directions, live Webcam, photo gallery.

Summerfest, Milwaukee's Big Gig - About.com review with travel details, ticket information, entertainment lineup.

Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI - Feature story on what you'll find at Summerfest with information on nearby attractions and suggested restaurants.

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